Timothée Chalamet’s Ballet Diss Draws Backlash, Misty Copeland to Perform at Oscars

Ahead of Oscar Sunday, backlash against nominee Timothée Chalamet’s controversial comment about opera and ballet has picked up steam. 

During a town hall conversation with Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet said he wouldn’t want to work in the art forms.

He commented, "I don't want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership.”

Prima ballerina Misty Copeland, who promoted Chalamet’s film “Mary Supreme” last November, was disappointed in the ballet diss.

According to Copeland, she wore a “Marty Supreme” jacket months ago because Chalamet reached out to her personally. She noted while speaking on a panel for Aveeno, "First, I have to say that it's very interesting that he invited me to be a part of promoting 'Marty Supreme' with respect to my art form."

Misty emphasized, "There's a reason that the opera and ballet have been around over 400 years. And I think that when you have access, you have opportunity to be a part of something, it can change your life."

She added that Chalamet "wouldn't be an actor and have the opportunities he has as a movie star if it weren't for opera and ballet and their relevance in that medium. So all these mediums have a space and we shouldn't be comparing them."

Misty is now performing at the Oscars — but it will be for Best Picture nominee “Sinners.”